Strays
by Evelos
Summary: "We were strays, we had to be stronger. But we found each other, and I wouldn't have it any other way." The path is treacherous, but Paradise is calling. The cast of Final Fantasy 13, in a setting based on Wolf's Rain. M for Violence.
1. Chapter 1

_The voice is soft, but the word cuts like a knife._

"_Search."_

_There's nothing left to find. Yet I'm drawn to something, something deep and elusive. I try to let myself fall, but it holds me adrift. _

_I call back to it, and my questions are ignored. The grip snaps, and I fall._

* * *

The liquid bubbled gently, a frothing green beneath the faint lighting of the room. A woman sat at a desk, and her hands fluttered on a keyboard.

_The subject is stable, and has been placed in suspended animation. The DNA examination came back positive, but the transfusion process has been put under indefinite hold by order of Lord Dysley. In the meantime, my team has studied the subject in greater detail. Once incapacitated, the subject's illusionary projection disappeared, allowing accurate examination._

Jihl Nabaat looked up from her report, and gazed at the hanging form. She stood, and stepped towards the illuminated tank. She smiled softly when the creature's eyelids fluttered, and placed her hand on the glass.

* * *

Vanille perched beside a crack in the dome, and gazed over the city of Cocoon. Rays of sun peeked through the musty shell above her, and illuminated her copper fur. She turned to the west, and watched the waves crash against the shore. After a brief moment, she hopped down and entered the city.

A mother and child sat together in an alleyway, a bag of cereal between them. The woman glanced at her son, her sharp eyes narrowed slightly at his expression. She studied his human illusion, his facial features and silver hair were nearly indistinguishable from hers. She closed her eyes, and cast a silent prayer to her husband.

When the boy had finished his portion, he noticed his mother seemed to be asleep. He was startled when a crow landed just a short distance away. The bird chattered and bobbed just out of his reach, and the boy snarled a warning.

The woman opened one eye and glared at the crow, before looking over to her son. "Just ignore it, Hope." She stood and began to walk away. Hope followed her, but not before he growled at the crow one last time.

"Did you hear what he was saying?" Hope asked, "Why does a stupid bird think he can get away with that?"

His mother chuckled and gave him a knowing look. Hope realized his question had already been answered, and he scowled.

They entered a main street in silence. Hope's stomach growled, the cereal did little to stave off hunger. He glanced at a stall set up on the sidewalk, and inhaled the scent of food. He looked to his mother for permission, and she nodded discreetly.

The duo ate their next meal quickly, and rested while looking out at the horizon. The dome was stripped down to basic framework in most areas, and they could see the ocean through the translucent material. Hope watched the waves lull against the shore. He closed his eyes and imagined the sand below his toes, the wind streaming through his fur.

Hope's mother smiled when she noticed him daydreaming, and nudged his shoulder. "We could go visit the harbor today, if you wanted." She gestured to the coast. "I think we could walk around the docks without upsetting anyone."

Hope's face brightened for a moment, before the tiny smile faltered. He looked down at his feet. "It would be better if we found a place to stay instead."

His mother scowled good-naturedly before she started off in the direction of the harbor, and ignored his protests. "You need some time to relax." She said, "We can find a place later today."

Hope stopped walking, and waited for his mother to look back at him.

"If Dad's not going to..." Hope paused, and tried to find his words. "I need to help look out for us."

He found himself drawn close to his mother, and tried to stop himself from crying.

"You already help just by being happy," she whispered, "I feel like a bad mom when you're sad."

Hope looked up at her through blurry eyes, his expression incredulous. "How can you think that?" He asked, "You're the best person I know."

She smiled, and gave him a pointed look. "We'll make it through this," she said, "one step at a time."

They passed through the junction together, and braced themselves for the sea breeze. The terminal opened to a long flight of wooden stairs, which lead to the harbor. Hope looked over at the buildings that bordered the docks. He stopped for a moment, and inhaled the salty air. Wind whipped through his hair as he gazed over the village beside the harbor. He recalled hearing people back in Cocoon call the second city 'Bodhum'.

Hope was broken from his reverie when a fog horn bellowed from somewhere beside the dome. He hurried to catch up with his mother, who chuckled at his dawdling.

Unseen from afar, Vanille watched their descent, her eyes wide with realization.

When they arrived at the docks, the duo carefully wove through the crowds, mindful to keep their illusions intact. The pair moved away from the masses, and sat alone on one of the unused piers. They watched the boats in silence for a while, until Hope spotted a strange craft in the distance.

He gestured to the odd boat. "Look at the plating on that one," Hope said, "I thought they didn't need warships anymore."

His mother narrowed her eyes. "They don't..." She shook her head. "It's probably some special cargo. I've heard the piracy out there is rampant, they probably just want an extra layer of security."

Hope nodded, and continued to watch the horizon.

Buoys chimed in the salty current, while a gentle breeze rocked the boats back and forth. The harbor bustled with activity, and dock workers moved about the landings, while they loaded and unloaded crates. Market stalls coated the sidelines, and peddlers waved their wares and trinkets to the crowd. Groups of citizens milled around, and many searched for work.

A group of three loitered beside a shack. Two young men and a woman, their clothes colorful against the dull building. Their stance was uneasy, and they took turns to glance out at the harbor. A man strode down from the steps to meet them, a large blond fellow with a lazy smile.

He addressed the three after making sure they were out of earshot. "Alright, what's the word from Gadot?"

The youngest, who wore goggles above his eyes, piped up. "He confirmed the PSICOM shipment from Yusnaan is arriving this morning." He pulled a small device from his pocket, flipped it open, and read aloud. "Odd for a warship to carry cargo, likely some sort weapon, definitely something worth guarding."

The woman next to him peered at the text message. She shrugged, and turned to the newcomer. "Snow, we don't need to figure out the specifics," she said, "whatever it is, they went to the trouble of keeping it quiet, so it can't be good."

Snow chuckled. "Right you are, Lebreau, and we better take care of this fast," he said, "remember when they still had those rockets?"

The group shared a quiet shudder.

The third member of the group, a young man with distinct blue hair, finally spoke. "I don't think we could forget," he said, "I swear, something like that could take down an elephant."

There was silence, and the youngest looked around in confusion. "Wait, Yuj... What's an elephant?"

Yuj shook his head. "Maqui... Read a book once in a while, kiddo."

Maqui scowled and tried to whack Yuj, and Lebreau giggled at their antics. Snow rolled his eyes, and cleared his throat. The roughhousing stopped, and Snow led them behind a pile of crates.

Snow peeked out to check the harbor. "Damn, look at that sucker!"

The armored craft was about to dock, and heavily armed soldiers emerged from the hull in tight formation.

Snow clasped his hand into a fist. "Alright, get your stuff out, NORA's got a job to do." The group readied their concealed weapons, and Snow turned to Maqui. "Care to do the honors?"

Maqui beamed, and reached into his backpack.

When the ship reached the pier, the guards stationed themselves on the deck in a defensive stance. The harbor populace watched intently, and began to shuffle away from the menacing craft. Another formation of troops approached from the city, and incited further fear within the masses.

Snow turned to see the reinforcements. "Maqui, wait." He whispered, "We have a problem."

Maqui stopped fiddling with a metal canister, and followed Snow's gaze.

Snow narrowed his eyes and hissed. "Should have expected this; they've been real jumpy since we hit them last." He turned back to his companions. "Alright, let's lay low for a while, and jump them in transit." The group re-concealed their weapons, and followed Snow's lead to blend in with the crowd. The city soldiers entered the docks, intent on herding the civilians to the beach.

Vanille took one look at the soldiers and hid behind her own pile of crates. She could hear the anger that emanated from the crowd, the people began to shout and push back at the line of soldiers. Vanille whimpered, and silently wished that she had remained in the city.

Hope and his mother tried to exit to the beach, but were caught up in the throng of furious workers and merchants. Hope didn't complain when his mother held his neck to keep him close. He tried to stay calm, but the mob around them had grown frantic.

One of the soldiers raised his weapon and shouted over the din. "By order of Lord Dysley, you are to yield and exit the harbor immediately!" He pointed at the beach. "We will not keep you from working today; we only ask that you give us a moment of cooperation!" The crowd was losing ground, fearful of the advanced firearms that the soldiers held. The noise of the masses drowned out the evacuation orders, and the people furthest onto the beach began pushing back towards the dock. The front of the crowd was forced to topple into the line of military.

Violence erupted.

Complaints became screams, rapid gunfire cracked through the air, bodies fell, and the mob collapsed in on itself. The members of NORA readied their weapons, and scrambled behind shelter.

Snow bellowed over the clamor. "Maqui, cover me!"

Maqui fumbled with the canister, lobbed it over the chaos, and it fell towards the soldiers. A thick white smoke poured through the area, and Snow launched himself through the haze in a blur of snarling and teeth. The illusion shattered, and a wolf raged where the man had been before. His fangs quickly shone with blood, and he ripped through body armor with ease. Snow's keen ears could hear the soldiers struggle to coordinate with the obscuration, and he tore through their ranks easily. The rest of NORA opened fire, and simultaneously dragged as many civilians as they could to safety.

Hope lost his mother in the crowd, and he stumbled away from both gunfire and footfalls. He cried out, but found he could barely hear his own voice over the uproar. Hope abandoned his illusion as he skittered between panicked humans. Many were too terrified of the artillery to pay him any notice.

He stopped just short of a frenzied man, and they both froze as their eyes locked. A plume of red suddenly gushed from the man's forehead, and droplets landed on Hope's muzzle. He had never smelled so much blood before, the uncanny sweetness blazed within his sensitive nose.

Hope found he could not budge an inch, and a strange rippling struck in his shoulder. He turned to stare for a breathless moment at the blood that rushed down his side, before he yelped in shock at the sudden pain.

His mother's keen ears picked out his cry in the turmoil, and she raced through the crowd to find her son. She avoided humans who came close to trampling her, and tried to ignore the sting of death in her nose.

The smoke had somewhat cleared, and the soldiers were no longer fighting blind. Snow danced between many of the bullets, but his hide soon wept with red. He readied to tackle a gunman, who quickly aimed his firearm between Snow's eyes. He ducked aside as the bullet whizzed past, and a feral wail pierced the air. Snow threw himself forward, and tore the gunman's throat out.

The remaining troops retreated into the nearby buildings; the armored ship had long disappeared back into the sea it came from. The crowd had scattered, but the docks were covered with the fallen.

Snow struggled to breathe. He turned to where the last bullet had struck, and nearly collapsed.

Hope was frozen in shock, his ears flat, tail between his legs. His eyes didn't budge from the motionless form.

Vanille peeked out from behind the crates. She moved out from the cover, and nudged Hope's uninjured side with her nose. When he ignored her, she nudged him again. "Let's get out of here!" She glanced over to where the soldiers had retreated. "They might start shooting again!" At Hope's continued indifference, Vanille bit his ear. He recoiled on her, but stopped when he met her eyes.

"Let's go!" She darted back towards the city, and retook her human illusion. Hope watched her run alongside the shacks while she tried to keep out of sight. Vanille stopped, and gestured for him to follow. Hope looked back at his mother, and the wolf standing across from her.

Snow stood in silence, but was wrenched out of his shock when a bullet grazed his back. He roared at the shooter, but bolted away to the sand below.

Hope jumped as the shot rang out, and ran to catch up with Vanille. After he retook his human guise in shelter beside the terminal, Hope looked back at the white blur retreating along the sand.

Bitter thoughts raced through his head, but Vanille interrupted him.

"We should get inside the city," she said, "it'll be easier to hide in there." She gestured for him to follow.

Hope squeezed his eyes shut, and turned to accompany her.


	2. Chapter 2

The wind screamed as Lightning forced herself through the snowdrifts, seemingly louder with every passing moment. Sleet clung to her fur, and bitter cold seeped down into her bones, but Lightning did not stop. She snarled back at the blizzard, and cursed the hostile conditions.

"_Damn_ you, Serah."

She paused, and howled a call to her sister, but the sound disappeared into the furious wind. Lightning tried to control her shivering, but it was useless. She couldn't find a single hint of Serah's scent; the weather had erased any trace.

Lightning retreated to a nearby outcropping. She burrowed into the snow, and curled herself into a comfortable position. She gazed out at the storm, blinking away the frost from her eyes.

When Lightning roused from a dreamless sleep, the wind had slowed to a flurry. She crawled out from her shelter, and shook the icy powder from her fur. Lightning scanned the area for landmarks, her orientation muddled by the endless white. She tested the air, and caught the scent of pine.

Lightning followed the smell, energized by the impromptu nap. She vaulted over the snowdrifts, and found herself before a forest. She inhaled, and the scent of trees tugged at memories of her childhood, days that Lightning wasn't sure she wanted to remember.

The scent of mink caught her attention, and she slid across the forest floor, completely silent as she stalked her quarry. The memories continued to nag her, and Lightning's thoughts drifted to Serah's first hunt. The prey had been similar, a stoat with her kits. They argued at first, but when Lightning resisted the guilt-trip, Serah gave in to the lesson.

_"Can't we find another one?" Serah asked, "One without babies?"_

_Lightning scoffed. "Of course," she said, "this place is just crawling with game."_

_Serah's ears drooped slightly. "It just seems cruel."_

_"Life is cruel." Lightning pinned her sister with a hard stare. "I might not be with you forever. You need to learn this."_

_Serah's eyes widened. "Don't say that," she whined, "I'll do it, just don't talk like that!"_

_Lightning's expression softened. "I wouldn't scare you if I didn't have to." She faced the clearing, and fixed her gaze on the stoat family. "Now," she whispered, "show me what I taught you."_

Lightning ended the mink with a snap, and quickly it picked clean. She walked back to the edge of the forest, licked the blood from her teeth, and tested the air. Lightning picked out a stale, musty scent, mixed with smoke and brine. Her human illusion gave a bitter smile.

"Back to Cocoon."

* * *

NORA was headquartered in a weathered building perched atop a mountain of broken concrete. It was distanced enough from the city to be ignored, but not far enough for the trip back and forth to be inconvenient. A tree grew along one of the inside walls, and branches grew out from the upper floor. Three members of NORA sat beneath the trunk, and tended to their wounds.

Maqui ran a hand through his hair and hissed. "Jobs have gone bad loads of times. What the heck is up with him?" He paused for a moment to calm himself. "Yeah, people died, but that's PSICOM's fault, not ours." He said, "_T__hey_ did a crappy job evacuating. Snow shouldn't blame himself."

"He takes it personally." Lebreau said, "Just give him a couple days."

Yuj shook his head. "I've never seen him this upset before." He said, "We should call Gadot, Snow's pretty open with him."

Maqui shrugged, and pulled out his communicator. He entered Gadot's number and waited.

_Hello. The number you are calling has been disconnected or is no longer in service. If you wish to request a Yusnaan City pin code, please enter..._

Maqui shut off the device and the three shared a worried glance.

Lebreau broke the silence. "Think they found out he was working with us?"

Yuj shook his head. "Gadot's real careful," he said, "but even if he did get caught, he's big enough to bust his way out of anything." Yuj stood. "I'll go talk with Snow."

When Yuj passed by a window, he looked out over the horizon. The harbor was slightly visible, several tents, crowds, and vehicles had amassed along the docks. Yuj frowned, and climbed the vine-covered steps to Snow's room.

* * *

"For the last time, I am _Sheriff_ Yaag Rosch, and you _need_ to let me through."

The soldier studied the sheriff, and winced at the scent of alcohol. "Do you have identification to confirm that claim?"

Yaag scowled, digging through his jacket before he retrieved a worn pass-card. He nearly shoved it in the soldier's face, and hopped the barricade. Yaag wove between medical tents and gurneys, nearly missing a worker with an unusual body-bag slung over his shoulder. Yaag grabbed the man's arm, and flashed his ID. Yaag held his breath while he unzipped the bag. His eyes widened.

"Sir?" The worker asked, "Is this your dog?"

Yaag's hand twitched for his rifle. "That is no _dog_."

* * *

Hope gasped for breath; his shoulder cried out with every step he took. After they had walked least halfway across Cocoon, he nearly collapsed on an alleyway wall. Hope squeezed his eyes shut, and tried to erase the scent of blood from his mind. When he finally opened them again, Hope saw that his companion sat across from him. She gave him a wide smile.

Hope shot her a glare. "How can you be happy after all that?" he asked, "What the heck is wrong with you?"

Her expression faltered for a split second, but then she beamed at him again. "Why not?" she asked, "If I smile, I won't feel as sad."

Finding no rebuttal, Hope gave her a blank stare. When he looked past her human illusion, Hope noticed that her tail was wagging nonstop.

She broke the silence almost as soon as it had started, and asked for his name.

"Hope."

"My name's Vanille!" She sat upright and extended a hand to him.

Hope wondered why she offered the human interaction to him. He accepted the handshake anyways, and made his illusion shift to perform the motion. With the formality over, Hope shut his eyes and tried to retreat back into the dark.

When Vanille realized that Hope was about to hide, she jumped up to startle him. She motioned for him to stand too.

"Do you know where to get food around here? I haven't eaten all day!" Vanille hopped up and down to emphasize. "I haven't smelled any rabbits, or deer, or... _Anything_ here."

Hope stood as well, and Vanille skipped alongside him as they made their way to the main streets.

After they had walked for a while, Hope broke the silence. "You must be from outside the cities."

She nodded enthusiastically. "How'd you guess?"

"There aren't any rabbits or deer in the city. Just stuff like rats... Maybe a squirrel, if you get lucky." He stopped, and tested the air. "No, it's way easier to get human food," he said, "and rats always make me queasy."

Hope slid close to the wall, and lowered himself to a crouch. He began to ask Vanille to follow suit, but she had already mimicked his stance. They rounded a corner, and Hope motioned for Vanille to stop and watch him. He walked past a street stall. Vanille giggled when Hope used his human illusion to hide his true form, and use his wolf teeth to grab food from the booth. Hope doubled-back after a minute, and was able to swipe a second parcel on his way back.

They returned to the alleyway to eat, and Vanille quickly dug into the food offered to her.

After a couple of bites, Vanille looked up from the meal. "So what is this stuff?"

Hope began to try and explain the many complexities and subtle brilliance of human cuisine, namely the stolen hot-dogs they were scarfing down.

"So it's meat, and what else?"

Hope thought for a moment. "Some sort of bread."

Vanille tilted her head to one side. "What's bread?"

"Um... I'm not sure." Hope picked at the bun. "Something fluffy?"

Vanille seemed satisfied with his answer. She twirled around the alleyway while Hope finished his share.

* * *

Lightning stared down at Cocoon from a ledge beside the dome. A scent caught her attention, a fellow wolf had been close recently. Whoever it was, Lightning didn't recognize them. The only stranger she had ever encountered in Cocoon had been Snow, and that was more than enough for her. Lightning turned her gaze to the docks, and caught sight of a strange commotion beyond the terminal.

Passing through the terminal was easy with her illusion intact, but Lightning returned to her true form as she walked to the harbor. She padded down the sandy hill leading to the docks, and Marram Grass concealed her descent. Lightning stopped short within the reeds, an overwhelming scent invading her nose.

Lightning crept towards the docks, her eyes widened when the scent of blood and smoke became even stronger. She peeked out from the grass, and froze at the scene that awaited her. Bodies were being lifted, placed on makeshift rafts, and shoved off into the ocean. Lightning crinkled her nose at the scent of burning flesh, many of the rafts had already been set ablaze. She left the grass to get a closer look, but startled when one of the workers noticed her. It was usually easy for her to pass as a large dog, but the man screamed and pointed at her.

Lightning tensed when soldiers rushed towards her, and she snarled and held her ground. But when a piercing spasm rippled through her side, Lightning stumbled and nearly fell. She snapped at the direction the pain came from, and spotted a man with a rifle pointed at her. Lightning roared, and launched herself at her aggressor. He ducked under her, but not before she had raked her teeth along his forehead, ripping out some of his silver hair in the process. She fell behind him, and twisted around to retaliate, but the man fired again, and grazed one of Lightning's back legs. The soldiers began to open fire as well, but Lightning bolted back into the grass before she could be hit a third time.

Lightning dashed through the terminal, and ignored the attention her wounded form received. She rested for a moment within the city, and retook her illusion. She glanced at her injuries, and only realized how much blood she had lost when she noticed a trail behind her. She spotted an awning above her, and Lightning used it to vault herself onto the building above. She hissed at the pain, but continued to leap along the rooftops. When she was satisfied that her trail had been broken enough, she began to limp her way towards the center of Cocoon.

* * *

Yuj stepped into the room, and was surprised to find Snow gazing out his window contemplatively. Nobody in NORA thought of Snow as stupid, but they aware that most of his actions involved less thought than average.

Snow turned to look at Yuj, and tried to smile. "Hey bud... How are you guys holding up?"

"Lebreau's ankle is bothering her, but she can still put some weight on it." Yuj said, "Maqui's trying to hide the pain, but he's having trouble. We got the bullet out, at least." Yuj sat across from Snow, and held up his arm. "Mine's alright, just grazed." He paused. "We're more worried about you."

Snow's eyes flicked to his own collection of wounds. "I told you guys about the moon part, right?"

Yuj fidgeted. Snow didn't bring up his true form very often. "Yeah, you heal depending on the cycle?"

Snow nodded. "It'll be almost full tonight. I'll be fine." He stood and stretched, then started for the door.

Yuj moved to stop him. "I wasn't really asking about your wounds." He said, "What else happened back there?"

Snow seemed as if he was miles away, and the room was silent for a while. When he finally spoke, it was slow and quiet. "There... There aren't a lot of us left." Snow said, "When I met Serah, it... It felt like a miracle." He exhaled, and looked at the ground. "Today... There were others at the docks."

Snow turned back and leaned on the window. He held his breath for a moment, then released it in a shudder. "She took a bullet that was meant for me."

Yuj's eyes widened, but he stayed silent. Snow got his breathing under control, and looked over at his friend.

"We better head out," Snow said, "I think we missed lunch by an hour or so."

Snow paused before the stairs and glanced at Yuj. "I don't want you guys to worry. We'll make this right." He said, "Another day."

They descended the stairs, and Yuj noticed that Snow seemed to be in better spirits. But when he listened to their leader reassure the rest of the group, Yuj couldn't help but feel that Snow was still trying to convince himself.

* * *

Vanille skipped beside Hope as they walked, she hummed, and twirled at every crosswalk. Hope seemed to already accept her presence, and he had quickly adjusted to her hyperactivity.

She stopped humming for a moment. "Do you know any other wolves here?"

"We... I'm new here too." Hope said, "Just got here yesterday."

"Have you seen anyone else, though?" She asked, "I'm looking for a friend."

"I've only seen you, and that guy at the docks."

Vanille paused to think. "The big guy?"

"Yeah, he ran off right before we did." Hope fought to keep tears at bay. "After Mom took a bullet for him."

Vanille frowned as her companion crept back into his shell. Her illusion took Hope by the shoulders, and hugged him. Hope's breath caught in his throat, confusion mixed in with his torrent of emotions. The human action translated to her wolf form, and her head nuzzled against his neck. Hope froze in embarrassment, and as quickly as the interaction had started, Vanille hopped away and continued down the street.

They came upon a park, and Vanille bounded out onto the grass. Hope watched her run in circles, throughly perplexed. Vanille hopped on a bench and motioned for Hope to sit with her. They sat in silence as Vanille searched for a topic.

"My friend is supposed to meet me here, in Cocoon." She poked Hope's uninjured shoulder. "When I find her, you can stay with us!"

If the news made Hope happy, he didn't show it. Vanille pouted, and dropped the subject.

* * *

Lightning took shallow breaths, and gasped whenever her side spasmed. Pain shot through her leg with every step, so she was forced to limp awkwardly through the side-streets. She forced herself to keep moving, teeth clenched. Lightning jumped when an engine backfired in the distance, and fell to the ground. A group of crows landed around her, they screeched and mocked her injuries, while hopping closer and closer. Pupils dilated, she lunged, her jaw a vice-grip.

Black feathers lay in the street, speckled with red.

When Lightning approached the center of Cocoon, she was faced with the choice between making the long trek to her house, or a shorter walk to the only place that could treat her injuries. Lightning grumbled. NORA was far too charitable for their own good. Perhaps if Snow was there, and hadn't run off with Serah, Lightning would get the chance throttle him. Her illusion smirked. Suddenly the second option seemed a lot nicer.

Lightning grunted as she hauled herself over the mountain of concrete, and cursed Snow's ability to make good tactical decisions only when it hindered her. With one last hoist, she made it to the hideout. Her nails clicked against the concrete, and echoed in the empty hallway. The building was larger inside than it looked from the ground, but most of the rooms were completely bare. Lightning checked each doorway, but found nobody. She passed through an archway, and found herself with nowhere else to search but up. The room was covered in vines, the stairwell nearly strangled by the roots of a tree. The upper floor was smaller, Lightning was able to check each room quickly.

Faced with complete solitude, Lightning felt lost. With her sister gone, she couldn't think of a next course of action. Her mind ached, and her vision spun, dizzy from blood-loss. Lightning collapsed in the hallway.


	3. Chapter 3

He stood in silence before the altar, and stared at the motionless form before him. Long red tubes hung from the pale, gaunt flesh of the comatose woman. He tucked a back a lock of her endless hair, dark blue tresses that nearly reached the ground. A door creaked, but he remained immobile.

"Caius?" A boy stood in the center of the grand room.

Caius turned away from the shrine. His dark purple hair reached his shoulders, and a sharp cowl rose behind his cloak. A strip of cloth wrapped around his head, and covered his left eye.

"Yes, Noel?"

Noel's eyes flicked to the altar before he responded. "I had another vision," he said, "Galenth finally found a catalyst."

Caius moved to gaze at one of the many rows of stained glass windows.

"Then I suppose..." Caius glanced at the door. "He should expect company."

* * *

Lightning stirred, sounds drifted around her, but she didn't respond. The noises changed to voices, and she sighed in annoyance. Lightning slid an eye open, but bolted upright when she felt something touch her. She spun, snarled, and leapt for whatever was near.

Maqui stumbled away, but the wolf went for his throat. He squeezed his eyes shut, braced his arms around his face, and tensed for his inevitable demise. A sharp wail broke the stillness, and Maqui opened his eyes to see fresh blood spattered above the stairwell. He moved to peek down the stairs, and stared breathlessly at the pair of wolves engaged in frenzied combat.

Lightning bellowed at Snow, and locked her teeth around his neck. Snow was bulkier and able to throw her about, and he rolled about the room to shake her off. Having lost her hold, Lightning darted aside, and launched herself at his shoulder. She caught him off guard, but the hulk of fur and muscle shrugged off her grip within moments.

Snow evaded attack after attack, and tried his best not to harm his assailant, but the ground quickly dappled with both of their blood. Something within him snapped, and Snow held his jaw around Lightning's neck, pinning her to the ground. Lightning screeched, clawing at his underside, but slowed as her burst of adrenaline faded. Her mind took back control, and she wrenched herself out of Snow's hold.

"What the _heck_ was that about?" Snow's voice was hoarse as he gauged her injuries. "You bled all over the place, what happened?"

Lightning gave a low rumble and glared, before she limped towards the exit. Lebreau and Yuj emerged from a side room, their expressions ridden with shock. Maqui found his legs able to move again, and he rubbed his neck nervously as he crept down the stairs.

Snow exhaled shakily. "Something's very wrong." He turned to address the group, and straightened his stance. "I'm going to talk with her."

The trio nodded wordlessly. Snow took a few steps out of the room before glancing back. He tried to nod reassuringly at his friends, and left.

* * *

The beast crashes through fields of embers and blood, a being of untamed chaos and primordial fury. It climbs to the top of a mountain, burning deep within. The creature bays, long and mournful beneath the vast, red moon, and leaps into the chasm.

_Blood inlaid with lunar roses,_

Vanille woke with a start, jolted out of her impromptu nap.

"Dreaming?" She asked, "Lunar roses?"

She mumbled, blinked, and looked around hazily, until she spotted Hope on the bench beside her. Vanille smiled, her new friend finally looked peaceful. She peered around the park, and wondered which part of Cocoon they were in.

Hope began to mutter in his sleep. Vanille debated whether or not to respect his privacy, but when the whispers turned to chanting, she leaned over to hear.

"Blood inlaid with lunar roses, by Ragnarok is spilled,"

Vanille reeled away. Her eyes went wide as she gasped for air, and she cradled her head in her hands.

Hope woke to a soft sound, and was taken aback when he noticed his spirited companion had curled up in sorrow. Unsure of what to do, he watched in silence.

Vanille tried to even out her breathing, and slowly regained control of herself. She noticed that Hope was staring her, and she tried to smile at him. Vanille sat up straight, and with her human illusion, folded her hands together and concentrated. Hope studied the motion, and recalled seeing humans perform similar gestures in the past. He remembered when his mother explained the concept of prayer, and decided not to question it.

After a moment, Vanille opened her eyes and looked at Hope with a bright smile.

"I wonder how long we slept." Vanille said, "Show me how you got that food again?"

Hope nodded after a moment, and left the bench. Vanille skipped behind him, and hummed softly.

* * *

Jihl stood from a distance as the laborers affixed a control panel to the tank. She watched their every movement like a hawk, the project was far too valuable to be compromised by a clumsy mishap. The liquid hissed as the glass around it wobbled, and Jihl clenched her fists until the solution had settled.

"All finished, ma'am."

She waited for the crew to leave, and examined the panel. It responded to her touch, and strange runes flickered around where her fingertips met metal.

"I trust you will figure out how to use it in good time." A voice echoed about the chamber, and Jihl wheeled around in surprise.

"Lord Dysley." She bowed, and stepped aside from the console.

Dysley moved beside her, his eyes locked on the suspended creature.

"Curious beasts, the wolves," he said, "it has been said that no other animal can match their resilience, or rival their influence." He turned to face Jihl. "But here this one lays, helpless before innovation."

Jihl smiled. "I've estimated that this specimen is juvenile," she said, "at least when compared to my findings, but the old scripts are often unreliable."

Dysley nodded, and left without another word.

* * *

Snow feared that he would never understand Lightning. A moment ago she was ready to tear him apart, but as soon as he had caught up to her, her tone was just as detached as ever. Snow stood across from her, and desperately tried to figure out how and what to ask, until Lightning's composed voice broke the silence.

"You aren't with Serah."

Snow fought the urge to point out the declarative nature of her questioning, and shook his head instead.

"Do you know where she is?" Lightning narrowed her eyes. "If you lie to me about this," she said, "I will make sure you never come in contact with her again."

"Sis! I'd never lie about Serah!" He took a step closer, and ignored the glare he received. "I know you... You don't like me, but we both feel the same about her safety." Snow paced for a moment. "What's happened to her, and what happened to you?"

Lightning moved to look at the city below. She was silent until Snow walked next her, to which Lightning flattened her ears and growled.

–

Snow hissed, his stubborn in-law had run off again. He paced the ledge for a while, before he turned to face where Lightning had left.

"Serah," he murmured to the breeze, "you wouldn't just leave, would you?"

Snow hurried in pursuit of Lightning.

* * *

Fang huddled behind a wall as repeated cannon-fire thundered around her. She could barely catch her breath before the structure collapsed, and it nearly crushed her before she darted beneath another. Fang coughed, the ruins were coated with dust and mold, and reeked of decay. She peeked out of an opening to glimpse the closest tank reloading.

She bellowed out at the hunk of machinery.

"Forgot how to aim, you bastards?!" Fang jumped atop the closest vehicle, and snarled at the duplicate beside it. The next explosion left her ears ringing, she barely made it to the ground before the tank she had perched upon toppled onto its side. She gave a barking laugh at the machine, its rubber treads spun uselessly in the air.

Fang winced, a high-pitched screech echoed the ruins, and grew steadily louder even as she ran. She looked up to catch a glimpse of an airship, sleek and expensive. Fang narrowed her eyes, what could the Nobles want with her?

Fang spotted a canyon in the distance, and decided to make a run for it. The airship gave chase, but she wove around each energy beam. Fang made a final leap for the ravine, but cried out as one of the glowing rays exploded behind her. She landed in a heap, dazed by the impact. Her head pounded and her ears rang, but Fang made her way into the network of tunnels.

She hid in the icy passages, finally able to catch her breath. The airship passed over the fissure, and circled for what seemed like hours. Fang snarled and pawed at her ears, the screeching aircraft was torture to her senses. The noise eventually subsided, and Fang felt it safe to examine the area. She studied the canyon floor, it was much too small for the tanks to enter. Fang sighed in relief, and moved beneath the overhanging walls of the ravine. She took one last look at the ruins, and ventured away into the crevice.

* * *

Yuj paced around the room while his friends sat. Maqui still held his neck, and Lebreau picked at the grass sticking out of the cracks in the floor. Silence hung between them, and the minutes stretched onward with no sign of Snow.

Yuj glanced out the window. "It's gonna get dark soon," he said, "if Snow's not back in half an hour, I say we go find him."

Maqui looked up nervously, and Lebreau rested a hand on his shoulder. "Don't worry." She tapped her pistol. "If we run into Grumpy, we'll be ready this time."

Maqui chewed at his bottom lip. "Snow's taken on machine guns, I don't think we stand much chance against a wolf."

Yuj stopped pacing and sat across from them. "Then we should use this time to figure out our next move," he said, "that shipment's bound to come back sooner or later."

Lebreau raised an eyebrow. "You really want to try that again?" She asked, "We were lucky just getting out of there _alive_." She stood and made for the door. "I need some air," she said, "let's go find Snow, I'm sick of doing nothing."

* * *

Lightning stalked the area with her nose to the ground, and tried to catch any trace of Serah's trail. She grumbled, it seemed impossible for someone to disappear without leaving any scent. She limped along the road, only a few scattered leaves to accompany her. Lightning closed her eyes and focused her ears. She picked out each sound, a crow calling in the distance, the wind blowing through the grass, a trigger being pulled...

–

_The Crimson Moon advances_

She could see only an endless white. Lightning drifted in the void, carried away by an invisible river.

_Inferno upon outer crest  
_

A mountain appeared before her. The moon hovered above, so close that the edge was barely visible. Lightning tried to run, but found she had no legs to move. She could only watch in silence as the orb was steadily engulfed in red, and a thick, metallic odor drifted out from it. She tried to gasp as the moon abruptly burst into flora, and a delicate scent somehow reached Lightning's senses. She felt her consciousness drift away, and Lightning felt truly at peace, as if nothing else mattered at all.


	4. Chapter 4

Snow grimaced when he came upon a group of workers. By the scent of it, they were spraying something where Lightning's trail led. He steeled himself, and walked up to the area. Snow called out to one of the workers, who glanced up at him from the mess.

"What is it, son? Doin' a job, here."

Snow stopped a few paces away. "What happened?"

The worker pushed his mop over the blood-stained concrete. "Some wacko shot a dog," he said, "nothin' you need to worry about."

Snow's breath caught in his throat. He quietly thanked the worker and continued down the road.

* * *

Cid Raines paced slowly around the tiny room. His associate entered the room, and offered him a cardboard cup.

"Thank you, Rygdea." He sat at the table, and shuffled through a small stack of files. Cid glanced at the man seated opposite from him. "Mister..." He double-checked the page. "Mister Rosch, could I get you a cup of coffee?"

"No. But you _could_ give me back my flask." Yaag leaned back in the chair, and avoided eye contact with both investigators.

Rygdea tried to hide a chuckle behind a cough, and choked on his coffee. He excused himself from the room.

Cid frowned. "Mister Rosch, I hardly think vodka is appropriate."

He received no answer, so Cid glanced over the report before addressing him again. "So... Mister Yaag Rosch, former Sheriff of Bresha, what brings you to Cocoon?"

Yaag only narrowed his eyes. Rygdea returned to the room in a new shirt, and sheepishly retook his seat.

"The report says you discharged an unlicensed firearm several times," Cid said, "intruded upon an active crime scene without given cause, and later killed a dog within the city." He flipped over a few pages and pulled out a photo, which he handed to Rygdea.

Rygdea whistled. "That's a big puppy." He laughed and tossed the picture at Yaag. "Pee on your leg, did it?"

Yaag ripped the photo in half, and threw the pieces on the table. "It's _not_ a dog, and it's _not_ dead yet."

Rygdea raised an eyebrow. "Three through and throughs, shoulder, abdomen, and a busted leg. That poor sucker is _very_ dead."

Yaag stood abruptly and slammed his fists on the table. "Wolves don't go down that easily!" His voice echoed in the tiny room. "There was a dead one at the harbor, with a bullet right through the heart; _that_ is how you kill a wolf!"

Cid ignored the outburst. "Wolves are extinct." He said, "Please sit down, Mister Rosch."

Yaag grunted and sat. The door opened a moment later, Cid and Rygdea turned around to see a large man leaning in the doorway.

Rygdea straightened his posture. "Amodar? Cid and I are handling this-"

"Wolves, eh?" Amodar locked eyes with Yaag, and chuckled heartily. "There are have been no confirmed sightings in at least a hundred years..." He glanced at the detectives. "I would very much like to see this 'wolf.'"

* * *

Lightning woke with a start, and groaned. Her muscles felt like they were on fire, and her joints ached. She cracked open her eyes, only to find herself surrounded by metal bars. She squeezed her eyes shut against the brightness of the room. Lightning had been lain her on her side, so she twisted around to lick her wounds. She found that the blood tasted weak when compared to the dream- Her eyes shot open.

A kindly face awaited her. "You look pretty messed up."

Lightning stared blankly at the wolf outside the cage.

"So how did you end up in there?" He sat beside the bars, his human illusion smiling casually.

Lightning was silent for a moment longer, and rolled onto her stomach. "How do you _think_?"

He chuckled. "I think you look full of holes. You should really use an illusion around humans."

Lightning narrowed her eyes. "The second time I did," she said, "bastard saw through it somehow." She growled, and returned to her wounds.

The stranger gave her skeptical look, but he didn't press the subject. "Anyway," he said, "the name's Sazh. Nice to meet you, Miss...?"

"Lightning."

"Nice to meet you, Lightning."

A door handle shifted, and Sazh darted away through another exit. Lightning closed her eyes, and lay very still.

"I'm telling you Amodar, it's just a dog."

"Don't mind me, Rygdea, I'm just curious."

The door opened, and a single figure entered before the door swung shut. The figure knelt before the cage, and clicked his tongue.

"Thought I told you stay out of trouble, Light."

She stared up at him in shock. "Amodar? How-"

"It wasn't too hard to figure out. Your little trick only works until I stop expecting a human."

Lightning's eyes flicked to the floor. "How long have you known?"

Amodar chuckled. "Quite a while. Why else would you need me to sign for your house?" He paused to scratch his chin. "Serah forgot hers once. Imagine my surprise when a wolf walked up and said hello!"

Lightning sat up. "Have you seen her lately?" She asked, "I can't find her anywhere."

Amodar thought for a moment, then shook his head. "It was at least a couple of weeks ago."

Lightning paced the enclosure. "Can you get me out of here?" she asked, "I think she's in trouble."

Amodar retrieved a key from his jacket. "As long as you give me an alibi, kiddo." He unlocked the cage. "We walk out of here together as humans, and if anyone asks, I was helping you fill out a recruitment application."

–

Yaag took a long swig from his flask, before he stumbled out of the precinct. Cid watched him leave, and shook his head while filing away the report.

Rygdea entered and sat at his desk. "How does a sheriff end up a crazy drunk like that?" he asked, "I'm surprised he didn't try to convince us about the unicorn under his bed."

"Don't you know what happened to Bresha?"

Rygdea frowned. "Bresha... Nope."

Cid closed the file cabinet and took his seat. "Burnt to the ground," he said, "I would be more surprised if he wasn't a bit nutty."

Rygdea began to examine the confiscated rifle, and whistled. He checked to make sure it was unloaded, before he stood and looked down the sights. He startled when a flash of pink moved in front of the weapon, and he quickly lowered it. Rygdea looked up to see a woman with unusual hair, who glared at the rifle.

"Apologies, Miss." Rygdea said, "Do you need any assistance?"

She was silent, and Amodar stepped in beside her.

"Rygdea, Cid!" Amodar said, "I told the two of you about Lightning."

"Ah, yes. Amodar tells us you are quite the upstanding citizen." Cid stood from his desk and tried to shake her hand, but Lightning avoided his eyes, and ignored the gesture. Cid took a step back, and shot a glare at Rygdea when he snickered.

"I'm escorting Lightning home tonight." Amodar smiled at them. "Have a good evening, gentlemen."

Rygdea returned to his seat, but Cid found himself staring at the space where Lightning had stood a moment ago. He pulled a couple of slides out from his cabinet, and scraped up a bit of blood from the ground.

* * *

Hope couldn't help but smile a little when Vanille bounded over to him, a couple of sandwiches held proudly in her mouth. She offered him one, but Hope declined. He decided to keep watch while she scarfed down the food.

"This is bread too, right?"

Hope examined the food. "Yeah, just shaped differently." He glanced back at the alley entrance, and twitched his ears. Hope felt a prickle run down his spine."There's something wrong."

Vanille looked up from her food, and swiveled her ears as well. They were alone in the tiny street, and nothing seemed immediately off.

"It's too quiet." Hope stood and waited for Vanille to follow. She picked up her remaining sandwich, and the duo moved further into the side-street. The uneasy feeling didn't subside, and only intensified when they reached a dead-end.

Vanille gasped, and the sandwich fell to the ground. Hope spun away from the wall, only to find the barrel of a gun pointed directly at his chest.

–

Snow wandered the streets, and tried to ignore the possibility that Serah might have left them. He had long since forgotten to return to the hideout, and instead watched as Cocoon slowed for the evening. Market stalls began to close, and homeward workers flocked the streets. Snow sighed, and decided to take a back street on his way home. He almost missed the tiny gasp from the street beside his, but Snow moved to investigate without thinking.

Snow stopped in his tracks, a man with silver hair had a shotgun pointed at two cowering children. Not just children, Snow realized. Wolves.

The man whipped around and opened fire immediately. Snow tried to dodge, but a good amount of the pellets bit into his skin. He lunged, knocked over the man, and clamped his teeth around the side of the gun. He called for the children to flee, but they had frozen in shock. The man struggled to retake hold of the shotgun, and wrestled with Snow's steely grip. He kicked at Snow's stomach, and Snow cried out in pain. The gun was pointed at the children once more, but Snow dove in front of it.

The pain was immense, Snow's face and chest were riddled with lacerations. He knocked down the man again, and the children finally ran. Snow jumped away to follow them.

–

Yaag drew his pistol, firing multiple shots at the retreating wolf, but he merely chipped the brick wall behind it. Yaag shouted unintelligibly, before stopping to catch his breath. He pulled out his flask, and took a swig.

* * *

Amodar walked with Lightning all the way to her house. He revealed a first aid kit from his briefcase, and began to bandage her wounds.

"If I had thumbs, you wouldn't need to do this," she said, "but thank you."

Amodar gave a hearty laugh, and taped off the last wrapping. "I'm surprised you're still kicking after all that." He said, "Wolves are pretty sturdy, eh?"

Lightning nodded, and looked out the window. "When the moon's out, we can heal away almost anything." She gazed over the horizon. "It's going to be full in a couple days. I'll be fine."

"Well Light, it was good to see you again." Amodar made for the door. "If I see Serah, you'll be the first to know."

–

Lightning busied herself with housework, her lack of thumbs barely hindered her progress. Her thoughts inevitably drifted to Serah, and Lightning found herself unable to concentrate. She looked out the window again, spotting the moon high above the dome. Lightning made sure the door was securely closed, and ventured back into the city.

Lightning approached one of the many abandoned buildings in the residential district. Vagrants shuffled away from her as she climbed the rusty stairwells, but Lightning paid them no mind. The roof was mostly flat, and she lay down under the moon.

"Fancy meeting you here." A figure waved from the opposite side of the roof, and strolled over to sit next to Lightning.

"Sazh, right?" Lightning looked him over. She noticed his illusion was of a different color than hers, and his stance strong, yet relaxed. She looked past his human form, finding a dark brown wolf with a slightly grayed muzzle.

"The one and only." He smiled at her. "I should have expected to see you here, this seems like the best spot in the city for moon-gazing."

Lightning looked at the sky, the dome was weathered enough for light to shine through. The moon was partly blocked by framework, but Lightning could still feel the effect on her wounds.

Sazh gazed up as well. "Seems like it gets closer every day," he said, "but that might just be these old eyes failing me." He chuckled, and fell silent.

Lightning studied the moon, it did seem very large. "I think we're just high up."

Sazh nodded. "So what's your story, Lightning?" he asked, "All those wounds, it must be exciting."

Lightning's gaze didn't inch from the moon. "Not really." She closed her eyes, and a while later, she spoke again. "I'm searching for someone."

"You too, huh?" Sazh asked, "Family?"

Lightning nodded.

"I've been looking for my son." Sazh sighed, and glanced at his feet. "But I'm running out of places to search."

"Two noses are better than one," Lightning said, "we could look for them together."

Sazh smiled sadly. "I'm not even sure if he's still out there." He said, "I stopped counting the days a long time ago."

Lightning sat up, fixing him with a hard stare. "You gave up?"

"It's been years." Sazh said, "One day, he was just gone. Like he never even existed."

Her expression softened, and Lightning looked away.

"I'll still help you look for your someone."

Lightning gave him a tiny smile. "That's generous of you, offering help to a stranger."

Sazh chuckled under his breath. "If this old codger has learned anything in his years..." He met Lightning's eyes. "Wolves need to look out for each other." He looked back at the moon, and mouthed something silent.

_Nobody else will._

* * *

A/N: Decided to post another chapter, might post a couple more soon. I sent the first four chapters to my mom to proofread, but she has been pretty busy lately. She helped me correct a lot of things in the first two chapters, but from here on out, current chapters will probably not be 100% typo free. Let me know if you spotted any typos or grammatical errors, I have trouble finding them sometimes. I finished writing down the first arc, 13 chapters total. _(Not intentionally, as luck would have it.)_ I've had the ending written down for a long time, so all that's left is the middle. Constructive critique is always welcome.


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